Union Township man charged with murder of Cranford woman

CRANFORD — A Union Township man has been charged with first-degree murder in connection with the death of a Cranford woman earlier this week, acting Union County Prosecutor Grace H. Park announced Thursday.

Matthew Ballister, 43, of Mercer Avenue in Union Township is being held on $2 million bail set by state Superior Court Judge Robert J. Mega.

"My wife and I don't know them," said a neighbor who lives on the same street as Wyckoff near Cranford High School. The neighbor did not wish to be identified.

"They weren't here for very long," the man said.

An intensive joint investigation involving the Union County Homicide Task Force and the Union Township Police Department revealed that Ballister killed 43-year-old April Wyckoff sometime Tuesday evening, according to investigators. Based on evidence obtained during the course of the investigation, the incident that led to Wyckoff’s death is believed to have occurred at Ballister’s home.

"The Cranford Police Department is aware of the homicide investigation being conducted by the Union County Prosecutor's Office and the Union Police Department and will cooperate in the investigation when/if requested," said Cranford Police Detective Sgt. Gerald Quinn said on Oct. 24. "We will not be issuing any comment on the investigation and will defer to those other agencies' media representatives."

As of late Thursday morning, Wyckoff’s body had yet to be recovered. Ballister’s mother, Eleanor Schofield of Mountainside, has been charged with fourth-degree hindering apprehension for allegedly interfering with the investigation by attempting to assist in his efforts to conceal evidence of the crime.

"I'm not bale to comment on it because I'm not sure if I know the woman," Hannen said about April Wyckoff.

Anyone with information about Wyckoff’s death, or anyone who may have had contact with Ballister or Schofield anytime between Tuesday night and Wednesday night, is being urged to contact Union County Prosecutor’s Office Detective Robert Henderson at 908-527-4126 or 908-347-2686.